


Learning to hunt

by notallbees



Category: Dishonored (Video Games)
Genre: Age Difference, Consensual Underage Sex, Dark Magic, Dubious Consent, F/M, Incest, Loss of Virginity, Parent/Child Incest, Possession, Pre-Dishonored 2 (Video Game), Underage Sex, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-14 05:02:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28915050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notallbees/pseuds/notallbees
Summary: Corvo felt the influence of the charm before Emily pulled it out of her pocket, a buzzing sensation at the edges of his mind. "Where did you get that?" he asked, reaching out for her wrist.Emily pulled her hand out of reach. "I pulled it out of the river," she said, a wicked gleam in her eye."You shouldn't toy around with whalebone," Corvo chastened. "There's power in it."Emily is reaching the age where she has more questions than Corvo can answer.
Relationships: Corvo Attano/Emily Kaldwin
Comments: 6
Kudos: 14
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 6





	Learning to hunt

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lady_attano](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lady_attano/gifts).



> I actually had this fic brewing in the back of my mind for weeks before I got this assignment, so it was like fate! Thanks, Outsider!
> 
> Please forgive me for any errors, it's my first foray into this fandom, and I'm only familiar with the game and not the extra content. Some errors will be deliberate, most are not! 
> 
> Also please mind the tags y'all. If something in those tags may upset you, please hit the back button now!

It had been a long, dry summer in Gristol, and as they entered the dog days of the season, Dunwall became almost unbearable. Corvo remembered Karnaca as being much hotter, but the winds off the sea and the peaks dispelled the worst of the sticky heat, and the city had been built with shade and respite in mind. By contrast, Emily's ancestors had built Dunwall to watch the rivermouth and to withstand the harsh storms that blew in from the sea. It reminded Corvo of a fat old tortoise in its shell, which in summer could only lie there on its back, cooking slowly. 

As a result, the Kaldwins usually spent their summers in the North of Gristol, in the palace that Emily's great-grandfather had constructed near Driscol. Jessamine had been pregnant with Emily on one such excursion, and Corvo had fond memories of spending summers in seclusion with the two of them. There had been little time for escape in the short years since Jessamine's death, and they had been delayed from leaving once again this year by the summer storms that had battered the coast of Morley. The severe weather had apparently caused landslides all around Arran, necessitating intervention by the throne.

"Perhaps we could bring the refugees to Dunwall by ship? We have vessels in Redmoor, and if we reduce quarry production for a few weeks—"

"Respectfully, Empress," said Councillor Oritz, who Corvo had always found was particularly disrespectful to the young Empress. "Think of the losses to Dunwall's trade in the meantime. And besides, it hardly seems prudent to fill the city with a bunch of foreign layabouts so soon after the city was decimated by plague..."

"That is precisely the reason we should offer sanctuary to those affected," argued Councillor Marvus, one of the few women on the council and one who occasionally spoke some sense. "Dunwall's labour force was gutted by the plague. We still don't have enough workers to run the mills and factories."

"To say nothing of _skilled_ workers," another said, joining in. "So many of our craftsmen either fled the city or succumbed to illness, Dunwall has almost no respectable trades left. Why, I passed along Aveline Street the other day, and there's only one shop open for every three that have been boarded up!"

Councillor Oritz made a derisive noise. "Then we should recruit from Gristol. Bring in more young people from Pottershead and Driscol."

" _Respectfully_ , Councillor Oritz," Emily said coldly, sarcasm lining her voice, "we have done what we can to bring new workers to the city, but much of Gristol still fears the lingering effects of the rat plague, and I can't say I blame them." She turned her sharp gaze to the others who had spoken. "On the other hand, I don't agree with offering shelter to the citizens of Arran, only to press them into service for Dunwall."

Councillor Marvus grimaced, but bowed her head respectfully.

"We _will_ offer shelter to any Morley citizens displaced by the natural disasters," Emily continued, "and they will be offered a choice of occupation once they arrive. Perhaps some among them are already skilled craftsmen." She fixed Councillor Oritz with a particularly piercing look. "We do not know until we ask."

"Quite right, Empress," said the Councillor who'd agreed with Marvus. 

Councillor Ashmole cleared his throat. "Excellent. I'll contact the shipping house. Now, Empress, if I might draw your attention to another matter..."

Corvo took a deep breath and sighed softly. He was present at as many of these meetings as he could be, simply because he had seen Jessamine at work for so many years, and hoped to offer Emily his guidance where he could. Alexi, however, was the one who stood at her shoulder, her captain and confidant. He found the meetings interminable, the council members argumentative and dissolute for the most part. 

The antique grandfather clock in the corner of the room struck three with a clamorous sound, and it was with relief that Corvo finally stirred himself to action. The meeting had already dragged on twice as long as it should have, and Emily was clearly struggling to focus. It was little wonder, given how stiflingly hot it was in the council chamber, even with the windows flung open. Emily had insisted on taking on far more responsibility this year, and Corvo had been reluctant to interfere—the Isles needed an Empress, after all—but they had agreed that he would intervene if it was clear she was pushing herself too hard. 

"I think that's enough discussion for today," he said, stepping forward and placing his hand on the back of Emily's chair. 

"But—"

"These deliberations can continue tomorrow," Corvo insisted. 

Councillor Ashmole wilted, avoiding Corvo's eyes. "Very well, Royal Protector."

Emily rose from her seat, her mask of interest slipping off her face as she stood. Over her head, Corvo exchanged a glance with Alexi, who smiled and nodded. 

As they left the room, Corvo put his hand against the back of Emily's shoulder. "Empress," he murmured, his heart lifting when she turned and smiled up at him. "Want to get out of here?"

Emily's face lit up. "Oh, Corvo, _please_." 

He grinned. "Good. Get changed." 

—

They left the city on horseback, heading out past the surrounding farmland and riding for an hour to the forests inland. Emily, much like him, was an incorrigible climber, but shinnying up and down buildings was inadvisable in the middle of the afternoon, and besides, Corvo wanted to grant her a little fresh air. 

It was still hot away from the city, but there was a fresh breeze, and when they reached the forest it was far more sheltered. Leaving their horses at the top of a small dell, the two of them set off into the trees, both trying to cover as much distance as they could without touching the ground. 

Later that evening, after they'd returned to Dunwall and been chastised for sneaking out, Corvo found Emily sitting out on a balcony, picking at a bunch of grapes and staring out at the city. 

"Corvo!" she said, brightening when she saw him. She patted the space beside her, and smiled when he joined her. 

"What's that look for?" he asked, nudging her with his elbow. "Keeping secrets?"

Emily grinned and reached into her pocket. 

Corvo felt the influence of the charm before Emily pulled it out of her pocket, a buzzing sensation at the edges of his mind. "Where did you get that?" he asked, reaching out for her wrist.

Emily pulled her hand out of reach. "I pulled it out of the river," she said, a wicked gleam in her eye.

"You shouldn't toy around with whalebone," Corvo chastened. "There's power in it."

"I know," she said, cradling the little charm in her hand, smoothing her thumb over the carved symbols. "I can feel it."

Corvo frowned. He'd tried not to make use of the Outsider's gifts since the day he placed Emily back on her throne, but there were occasions that made it a necessarily evil. He supposed he should be grateful that the Outsider had left him marked, but as time passed, that mark began to feel more and more of a burden. Now, feeling the pull of magic from the charm in Emily's hand, it felt like thirsting for a sip of wine and trying to deny himself. 

"Teach me how to use it, Corvo," Emily said, a smile tugging at her mouth. "Please?"

Emily had always been curious about his Outsider's mark. Corvo had never told her what it was, but Emily was too clever for her own good, and she'd figured it out without him needing to. He didn't try to deny what it was, only explained that its powers had helped keep him safe, and her too. 

"You'll wish I hadn't," Corvo said, trying to resist the inevitable. If Emily truly wanted to find her way to the Outsider, it wasn't a decision that Corvo could prevent. Only the Outsider would decide that. 

"I won't," Emily insisted. 

He shook his head. "I can't give you a mark. Even if I try to teach you to use the Void, it may not speak to you. It doesn't to most."

Emily leaned closer, laying her head on Corvo’s shoulder. "It will speak to me," she said, soft and sure. "I'm part of _you_ , and it speaks to you."

With a sigh, Corvo put his arm around her shoulders and held her against him. She was growing up so fast these days, more and more like Jessamine each day, but he sensed the wildness in her that he knew like his own name: spitting blood in a back alley, bare knuckle fight; wielding a knife like an extra limb; tilting your head to hear the whispers in the darkness. It was in her the way it had always been in him, and no amount of etiquette lessons or noble company could quiet the Serkonan blood that simmered in her veins. Corvo had helped to put a bastard on the throne of the Empire, and he would make certain that she was the kind of bastard you wouldn't want to meet in a dark street alone. 

"Let me think about it," he said, to which Emily made a contented sound, knowing as well as he did that such an answer was invariably another way of saying _yes_.

—

It took several more days to deal with the refugee crisis in Morley; the Morleyans were a proud people, and unlikely to accept help willingly, but Corvo admired Emily for proposing such a plan in the first place. Morley had refused them aid during the rat plague, but that was no reason to continue escalating the hostilities, when Jessamine had worked so hard to achieve a lasting peace.

When the plans had been made, Corvo took Emily north at the earliest opportunity. It was late in the year to make the journey to the summer palace, but Emily was in dire need of respite, and the Council made little objection, provided that Corvo promised to return her by the Month of Rain. 

As they journeyed, bored and restless, Emily begged him to tell her more about the Void, and the strange powers it granted him. Corvo was still reluctant to share too much with her yet, but he reasoned that the knowledge would be better to come from him than some cursed tome or backstreet gossip. 

Her questions didn't end however, often coming in unexpected forms, such as the moment she turned to him as they walked along the coast several days later, her eyes alight. 

"Corvo, tell me what it's like to possess a person."

Corvo's mouth tightened, but he didn't ask her to clarify her meaning. She might have meant to own someone, or to _take_ someone in a passion, or perhaps she meant to occupy someone's mind and soul with dark power. He wasn't sure if she even knew herself which she meant, or whether it was some combination of all three. Corvo frowned, hesitating for several moments before he answered her. "It's a grave responsibility," he said at last.

Emily leaned closer, eager to hear more.

"Not everyone is susceptible to it. Some are, much more than others." He sighed, glancing off, over the ocean. "You can only guide, not force. It's a suggestion, but a powerful one."

"But what is it _like_?" Emily asked again.

Corvo was still gazing off into the distance, his smile faint and sad. Jessamine had always been quick and clever, but her curiosity had primarily been directed at _him_. She was more single-minded than Emily, but that didn't mean that Emily wasn't dogged and ferocious when she had set her mind to something. "Overwhelming," he replied finally. "Intoxicating. To bend another soul to your will?" He shook his head. "Many men would do terrible things for power like that."

"And they'd do worse if they got it," Emily observed. 

He nodded, sadly, knowing only too well how right she was. "I don't doubt it."

Emily looped her arm through his, leaning into him. She was almost fourteen, and growing like a weed this past year. She was almost as tall as his shoulder now, her body strong and slender, her lips a soft rose petal, like her mother's. 

"The people you possess," Emily asked at length, "do you they _know_ they've been possessed?"

Corvo hummed as he considered this. "Some do, particularly if they're strong-minded and resistant to possession."

Emily squeezed his arm. "Have you ever tried to possess someone and failed?"

Corvo sighed. "I'm not sure I should talk to you about this."

She laughed. "Why? Was it embarrassing."

"No," he said, offering her a wry smile. "Because I've never failed."

"Yet?" said Emily.

"Yet," Corvo agreed. 

They didn't talk for a while. Instead, they gathered flat stones from the rocky beach and skimmed them over the gentle waves. Jessamine had been the one to teach them both how to skim stones, and when Emily turned to him with laughter in her face, his heart squeezed painfully with gratitude. 

—

Later that evening, they sat on the terrace drinking wine—watered down in Emily's case, though probably not as much as it should have been, since she had all the servants wrapped around her little finger. Emily had begged him to tell her stories of her homeland, and now they sat quiet, Emily sated, and listened to the ocean rolling in and out.

"Corvo," Emily murmured, glancing over at him. "What does the Outsider's power feel like?"

Corvo hummed, thinking of the cold dark of the Void, of the sensation of screaming and song in the back of one's mind, the greasy taste of whale blubber in the back of one's throat. "It's hard to describe," he said. "Perhaps I can give you a little taste."

Emily's eyes widened. She nodded eagerly. "Yes! How?"

"Give me your hand," he said, holding out his own. 

Emily held out her hand at once, sitting forward in her seat. Her eagerness made him hesitate, but this was, perhaps, the only way to allay her curiosity. And at least they were almost alone here, with only a handful of servants around. Corvo could keep an eye on her better here than he could in Dunwall Tower, with so many prying eyes ever watching. Taking her hand in his, Corvo closed his eyes and searched for the Void within him, the blackness that made a fist around his soul. When he sensed it, he opened the door just a crack, pouring it into Emily. 

Emily gave a jolt, almost pulling her hand from his in surprise, but Corvo held her tight. "Don't flinch from it," he said. "I know it hurts." 

Gritting her teeth, Emily held on. It was over in moments. When Corvo opened his eyes again, satisfied that she'd accepted the darkness, that it had accepted her, he saw Emily looking at the back of her own hand.

"I don't have a mark," she said.

Corvo smirked. "Do I look like the Outsider to you?"

She grinned. "I don't know. I've never seen him."

"I don't know where you get that cheeky mouth from," he said, matching her smile. 

Emily laughed, and then she got up from her seat and scrambled into his lap, putting her arms around his neck. "I think you do," she whispered, her breath soft against his lips. 

Corvo held her against him, unable to look away from the bright challenge in her eyes. "Emily…"

She smiled at him, then pressed her lips to his, kissing him smartly. Corvo was frozen for the scant moments the kiss lasted until Emily pulled away. They stared at one another. Emily's eyes dared him. With the pull of magic between them, Corvo could sense her heart beating, rabbiting in her chest.

"Possess me," she whispered.

He frowned. "No."

"Please," she said, pressing closer, her thighs hugging his hips tightly. "Just for a few seconds."

Corvo sighed. "Turn around," he said, putting his hands under her thighs to move her towards his knees. 

Pleased to have got her way, Emily did as he asked without fuss, and Corvo waited until she'd gotten comfortable, sitting on his knee with her head tipped back onto his shoulder. Corvo rocked her gently, his hand resting gently on her hip. She was tipsy and content, melting against him like a sleepy cat. 

Corvo quietly reached for the well of magic at his core, whispering the spell under his breath. With the next breath, he was inside her. He could feel her heart pounding, taste the wine on her tongue, feel the breeze on her skin. He could feel himself warm against her, and with surprise noted the stirrings of his erection against her back. Focusing on her core, he got her up from his lap, and made her twirl in a circle, before releasing her again.

Emily stared at him, disoriented for a moment. 

"What you expected?" he asked. 

Emily shook her head, her eyes wide and dark in the dim light. She was breathing hard, and Corvo reached out to take her hand. 

"Emily—"

She stepped back, out of his reach. "No," she said, her chest still heaving. "Not what I expected."

Corvo frowned. "Are you alright?"

Emily nodded. "Fine. Just feeling a little tired. I should head to bed."

Sitting back in his seat, Corvo nodded, watching her turn and go inside. Emily was a good liar, but Corvo knew her too well; he recognised her tells. It _wasn't_ what she'd expected, that much was clear, but nor was this over between them.

—

Emily was withdrawn and distant the following day, but Corvo was certain that she wasn't upset. Rather, she seemed preoccupied by her thoughts, musing on some problem. Corvo decided to leave her to her own devices, and by evening she was herself once more, eager and engaging.

It wasn't until Corvo went to his bed that night that he realised what had been preoccupying his daughter all afternoon. Emily came to him just as he was undressing and asked to borrow a book that he'd been reading that afternoon, lingering in the doorway once he'd handed it over.

"What is it?" he asked, folding his arms across his bare chest.

Emily pulled her gaze up to his face, her grin mischievous. "Nothing. Goodnight, Corvo. Thank you for the book."

Corvo narrowed his eyes at her, but she only giggled before darting away to her own room. Her bedchamber was on the other side of the wall to his own, so he could feel her reaching out as soon as he lay down. She was using the power he'd given her, searching for him, the darkness inside her calling out to his own. 

Unthinking, Corvo reached out and touched. The moment he did, a haze descended over him. Corvo had never been the victim of dark possession, though he'd subjected plenty to such a fate, but he recognised it for what it was. The sense of having another's will fighting for control of his limbs was disturbing, but he knew that it was Emily, and so after a moment he subsided, forcing himself to relax and hand her the tiller. 

Her grasp was weak at first; she had only a fraction of the power he did, and this was a new sensation to her, yet it still made his heart race. The connection broke after a few seconds, and Corvo lay gasping as her grip on him receded. His heart was pounding. His cock was starting to fill. Grimacing, Corvo rolled over onto his stomach, pressing himself against the mattress as arousal surged through him. He thought of Emily the night before, her soft little rose petal lips against his own, and he shuddered. 

Although he tried to put such thoughts from his mind, he couldn't shake the images, or the sensation of Emily tugging at the edges of his mind. Grinding his cock slowly against the mattress, he extended his awareness cautiously. He had no intention of possessing her, but he wanted to reassure himself that Emily was alright after her first foray into possession. 

Slowly, he sensed her; she lay on her bed just on the other side of the wall, writhing against the mattress. Corvo lifted his head, wondering if he ought to go and check on her, when he realised what she was doing, her hand moving rhythmically between her legs. Face flushing, he cut off his extended awareness at once, but too late to preserve Emily's modesty, too late to preserve himself from having the image branded into his mind.

With a groan, Corvo rolled onto his back once more and slid his hand down to touch himself. It had been a long, long time since he'd lain with another person. He'd sought out company shortly after restoring Emily to her throne, as much to celebrate still being alive as to burn off the tension gathered in the weeks spent working to rescue his daughter and clear his name. But lately, there always seemed to be more important things to occupy himself with. 

Corvo loosed a heavy exhale as he gripped his prick, working it quickly with his fist. He hoped that Emily couldn't hear him. Some deep, dark little part of him wished that he could hear her. 

—

The next day dawned clear and fine, and so the two of them went sailing along the coast. Neither spoke of Emily's attempt at possessing him the previous night, but there was an unspoken tension between them from the moment they set out. Corvo unconsciously likened the feeling to the longing, hungry days of his and Jessamine's courtship—if so fine a term could be applied to something so frenzied and desperate—and instantly regretted making the comparison. Still, it was impossible to ignore the flash in Emily's eyes each time she gave him an order, or the way she leaned into him as the skiff darted over the waves.

Having pulled the skiff up onto one of the dozens of little islands that ran along the coast, they gathered berries from the sparse scrub that grew there, then settled down on the rusty dirt to eat their handfuls. Emily toyed with her food, peeling the skin off the berries with her teeth, so that the juice stained her lips a dark purple. 

Corvo wished he could capture the image of her laughing in the sun, the tip of her tongue the same violent shade of violet as her mouth. Instead, he pulled her close to him, and kissed the corner of her mouth, where a bead of berry juice sat undisturbed. 

Emily's eyes widened at the press of his lips; without shame, she tilted her head so that he was kissing her mouth instead, slipping her arm up to encircle his neck. Instead of pulling away as he should have, Corvo kissed her chastely, cupping her slim waist with his hand. Emily responded with zeal. She moved her lips against his, clearly trying to learn from him what the right way to do this was, though as he parted her lips with his tongue and she sighed into it, he suspected that this was far from her first kiss. Although Emily was primarily taught by private tutors, she'd had some schooling with other girls and boys her age, other noble children, who no doubt knew enough of their parents' own excesses to be curious about attempting their own. 

They parted, breathing heavily, and Emily caught at the collar of his shirt. "Corvo," she whispered, searching his eyes.

Corvo stared back at her, his gaze darting to her mouth, then back to her eyes. 

"Don't stop," she whispered, before he could think of anything to say. She tugged at his collar, her breath skipping against his cheek. "Please?"

Cursing himself inwardly, Corvo lowered his head and kissed her again, and kept kissing her until the tide began to change, and they were forced to make their way back to the mainland. Emily looked pleased with herself as they made their way back up through the gardens, like the cat who'd got the cream. 

—

Just as Corvo was falling asleep that night, his thoughts full of warm sun and the sharp tang of the sour berries, Emily reached out to him again. She was more forceful than the previous night, thrusting herself into him without hesitation. Corvo was still aware; he wasn't sure whether it was her lack of practice, or that she _wanted_ him to know what she was doing. 

She got him up out of his bed and led him to the door. Corvo slept nude in summer, in deference to the heat, but Emily overpowered his momentary resistance and took him out into the hallway, then to her own room. Corvo's heart was pounding as he watched his own hand open the door, as he saw Emily on the bed, knowing that she was seeing herself through his eyes. He tried again to resist her, hesitating on the threshold of her room, but Emily only gripped him more tightly, urging him forward. 

The air was thick between them as she drew him nearer to the bed. She lay back against the pillows, her knees together, her lips apart. Corvo wanted to tell her that she needn't force him, that he'd do anything she asked, but he couldn't speak. Instead, he let her bring him to the bed, watched the way she lifted her chin when he crawled over her on all fours. She was still wearing her nightdress, but it rode high on her thighs, and he could just see the patch of soft hair between her legs, the faint glisten of bare flesh. 

Emily arched up, and Corvo kissed her, cupping her face briefly before running his fingertips down her neck, over her chest. She trembled beneath him, putting her arms around his neck and kissing him again as he gently cupped her breast and thumbed over her nipple. Emily made a little noise against his mouth like a kitten mewling, and dug her fingers into his hair. "Please," she gasped, her little body shuddering beneath him. "Oh please, Corvo—"

It wasn't until she said his name that Corvo even realised that he'd been released from her magic, that he was the one leading this dance now. He applied his lips to her neck, kissing down the length of it until he reached her clavicle. As he kissed her there, he settled down at her side and brushed his fingertips along her inner thigh, smiling at the way it made her twitch and tremble, overwhelmed by the simplest touches. One of her hands moved down to touch his chest, and he gently took her wrist to guide her hand lower, letting her feel his stiffening prick. 

Emily inhaled sharply, her little hand gripping him tightly, the fingers of her other hand clenching in his hair as he took one of her nipples in his mouth. "Don't stop," she whispered, like she had that afternoon. "Show me all of it."

His heart in his throat, Corvo slid his hand higher, lifting her nightdress to her navel. He ghosted his fingertips down over her abdomen, then stroked her very softly between her legs. Emily panted against his neck. Corvo slid one finger lower, drawing it through the soft, wet folds of her cunt. She was so responsive, lifting her hips to press against his hand, her muscles clenching in anticipation. 

"Relax," Corvo murmured, gently squeezing the lips of her cunt together between his finger and thumb. He kissed her sternum, then the stiff nub of her nipple, and lifted his head to smile at her. "You like it?"

Emily gave a frantic nod. 

Corvo chuckled softly. He drew his fingertip over her clit, stroking it gently. Her slim frame trembled in his arms. Corvo could barely think, his mind so thick with conflicted arousal. When she lifted her hips again, panting quietly, he slipped a finger inside her. 

"Oh!" Emily gasped, seizing up, her cunt clenching around his finger. 

"Easy now," Corvo murmured, soothing her like a startled animal. He stroked her clit with his thumb, and smiled when she thrashed against his hand, overwhelmed by the stimulation. "Just take it. There's my girl."

Emily clung to him, hips rising and falling, her breath coming out in staccato gasps. "Don't you—want to be inside me?" she panted. 

Corvo huffed, amused by her brashness. "What do you call _this_?" he asked, driving another finger inside her, curling them both deep in her cunt. "Don't be in such a hurry."

"A-alright," she moaned, driving her hips down against his fingers. It was possibly the most acquiescent he'd seen her in years, but he stifled his laughter for fear of offending her, and instead focused his attention on pushing her slowly, inexorably toward her peak. 

When she came, Emily clenched hard around his fingers, tossing her head back with a wail that was entirely unself-conscious. Corvo loved her so much that he ached. He removed his sticky fingers from her slowly, kissing her jaw as she slowly came down. 

"I just—wanted to know—" Emily panted as she returned to herself gradually. "I wanted to—possess you."

Corvo cupped her face and kissed her open mouth. "I've always been yours."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! This was a fun adventure for me, I hope you enjoyed :3


End file.
